Having spent the better part of the last four days getting our winter’s firewood in and under cover, my wife and I are now looking forward to the season of longer nights and cozy fires. In honor of all that, here’s something I wrote while on a solo hike in the North Cascades National Park, camped outside an old miner’s cabin…
THE WAY IT USED TO BE
by Jim Robertson, circa June, 1979
There’ll be a big fire a-blazing soon
and if you’ve got the time I’d like you to
come on in and share the warmth with me.
I might not be the most social guy,
but when friends come ‘round
I like to try to show them a good time
the way it used to be.
I’d trade skiing stories with the boys out back,
while in the kitchen the women’ll yackity-yack
and we’ll get together when supper’s good and baked.
And afterwards we’ll all sit ‘round
and watch the fire as we’re burning out,
and the snoring dog will keep us entertained.
I got no TV,
no video games,
but my big stone fireplace
should take the place,
if you appreciate the way it used to be.
So if you’re all alone on this windy night,
come on in and share the light
and the warmth from the fire
the way it used to be.
Text and Photography ©Jim Robertson, 2013. All Rights Reserved
Exposing the Big Game 
Jim, this is beautiful. I can relate to that …especially -don’t laugh- the snoring dog!
We are dog sounds junkies!
Wonderful memories! 🙂
I’m glad you can relate, Marina. The sound of a snoring dog is soothing and relaxing.
Just a fire and a snoring dog…
Love the look of your living room and that fine dog and fireplace. Put my feet up-warm my toes and have a good cup of strong black coffee. Hear the wind howl around the eaves.
The way it has to be, for me.
You don’t own a TV? I am there!
🙂 Reminds me of my old ‘day job’. I actually got paid to sit around the wood stove, and play guitar, write songs, invent stuff, draw and read by the light of a Coleman lantern! And my friends would drop by and we would play songs and drink free beer. What was this wonderful job? Ha-ha… I was the Town of Newmarket’s dumpkeeper, way back in the woods, no electricity, no running water but a spring nearby. On slow days it really was the very best job in the world. Thanks for encouraging my brain to dig up ancient history!
I can’t believe you got all your wood in that quick! It is a long drawn out affair, here in Maine and we haven’t brought it up the steep hill yet! It was 40 degrees when I woke up this morning… but we are both sick with a cold. Nobody wants to bother with lugging wood at the moment. It won’t snow yet! I love your photo! Beautiful dog!
I love what you write Melody. I settle in for a good read. Makes me want to live in Maine-never been there.
Nice! This time of year is special, when it starts to get a little colder. You captured that nicely.
Thanks. It’s getting colder as we speak…